CHAPTER

17
Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor,
Personification, Apostrophe
HIPPOL!A" #!is strange, m$ !heseus, that these lovers spea% of"
!H&S&'S" More strange than true" I never ma$ (elieve
!hese anti)ue fa(les, nor these fair$ to$s"
Lovers an* ma*men have such seething (rains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehen*
More than cool reason ever comprehen*s"
!he lunatic, the lover, an* the poet,
Are of imagination all compact"
One sees more *evils than vast hell can hol*,
!hat is the ma*man" !he lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen#s (eaut$ in a (ro+ of &g$pt"
!he poet#s e$e, in a fine fren,$ rolling,
-oth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven.
An* as imagination (o*ies forth
!he forms of things un%no+n, the poet#s pen
!urns them to shapes, an* gives to air$ nothing
A local ha(itation an* a name"
/Sha%espeare, A Midsummer Nights Dream, 5.117
!heseus +as neither the first nor the last to suggest that poets, li%e lunatics an* lovers, freel$ emplo$ their
imagination" !erms such as poetic license an* poetic justice impl$ that poets are free to *epict a never0
never lan*" One has onl$ to leaf through an$ antholog$ of poetr$ to encounter numerous statements that
are, from a logical point of vie+, lunacies" Here are t+o )uotations:
Loo% li%e th# innocent flo+er,
1ut (e the serpent un*er #t"
/Sha%espeare
&ach outcr$ from the hunte* hare
A fi(er from the (rain *oes tear"
/2illiam 1la%e
!he first of these is spo%en ($ La*$ Mac(eth, +hen she urges her hus(an* to mur*er 3ing -uncan"
Ho+ can a human (eing 4Loo% li%e th# innocent flo+er,5 an* ho+ can a human (eing 4(e the serpent56
1ut Mac(eth %no+s, an* +e %no+ e7actl$ +hat she means" 2e see an* +e feel her point, in a +a$ that +e
+oul* not if she ha* sai*, 4Put on an innocent0loo%ing face, (ut in fact %ill the %ing"5
An* in the )uotation from 1la%e, +hen +e rea* that the hunte* hare#s plaintive cr$ serves to 4tear5 a
4fi(er5 from our (rain, +e almost +ince, even though +e %no+ that the statement is literall$ untrue"
On a literal level, then, such assertions are nonsense 8so, too, is !heseus#s notion that reason is cool9"
1ut of course the$ are not to (e ta%en literall$. rather, the$ emplo$ figures of speech/*epartures from
logical usage that are aime* at gaining special effects" :onsi*er the lunacies that ;o(ert 1urns heaps up
here"
ROBERT BURNS
Robert Burns (17591796) was born in Ayrshire in southwestern Scotland !any o" his best poe#s and
son$s were written in the Scots dialect% thou$h he also wrote per"ect &n$lish
A Red, Red Rose [1796]
O, m$ luve is li%e a re*, re* rose,
!hat#s ne+l$ sprung in <une"
O, m$ luve is li%e the melo*ie,
!hat#s s+eetl$ pla$e* in tune" =
As fair art thou, m$ (onnie lass,
So *eep in luve am I,
An* I +ill luve thee still, m$ *ear,
!ill a#> the seas gang> *r$" ?
!ill a# the seas gang *r$, m$ *ear,
An* the roc%s melt +i# the sun@
An* I +ill luve thee still, m$ *ear,
2hile the san*s o# life shall run" 1A
An* fare thee +eel, m$ onl$ luve,
An* fare thee +eel a+hile@
An* I +ill come again, m$ luve,
!hough it +ere ten thousan* mile@ 1B
!o the charge that these lines are lunacies or untruths, at least t+o replies can (e ma*e" First, it might
(e sai* that the spea%er is not reall$ ma%ing assertions a(out a +oman. he is sa$ing he feels a certain +a$"
His +or*s, it can (e argue*, are not assertions a(out e7ternal realit$ (ut e7pressions of his state of min*,
Cust as a tune one +histles asserts nothing a(out e7ternal realit$ (ut e7presses the +histler#s state of min*"
In this vie+, the nonlogical language of poetr$ 8li%e a groan of pain or an e7clamation of Co$9 is an
e7pression of emotion. its further aim, if it has one, is to in*uce in the hearer an emotion"
Secon*, an* more to the point here, it can (e sai* that nonlogical language *oes in*ee* ma%e
assertions a(out e7ternal realit$, an* even gives the rea*er an insight into this realit$ that logical language
cannot" !he opening comparison in 1urns#s poem 84m$ luve is li%e a re*, re* rose59 (rings (efore our
e$es the la*$#s (eaut$ in a +a$ that the reasona(le assertion 4She is (eautiful5 *oes not" 1$ comparing the
+oman to a rose, the poet invites us to see the +oman through a special sort of lens: she is fragrant. her
lips 8an* perhaps her chee%s9 are li%e a rose in te7ture an* color. she +ill not %eep her (eaut$ long" Also,
4m$ love is li%e a re*, re* rose5 sa$s something *ifferent from 4li%e a re*, re* (eet,5 or 4a re*, re*
ca((age"5
!he poet, then, has not onl$ communicate* a state of min* (ut also *iscovere*, through the lens of
imagination, some things 8(oth in the (elove* an* in the lover#s o+n feelings9 that interest us" !he
*iscover$ is not +orl*0sha%ing. it is less important than the *iscover$ of America or the *iscover$ that the
mee% are (lesse*, (ut it is a *iscover$ an* it leaves the rea*er +ith the feeling, 4es, that#s right" I ha*n#t
)uite thought of it that +a$, (ut that#s right"5
A poem, ;o(ert Frost sai*, 4assumes *irection +ith the first line lai* *o+n, " " " runs a course of luc%$
events, an* en*s in a clarification of life/not necessaril$ a great clarification, such as sects an* cults are
foun*e* on, (ut in a momentar$ sta$ against confusion"5 2hat is clarifie*6 In another sentence Frost
gives an ans+er: 4For me the initial *elight is in the surprise of remem(ering something I *i*n#t %no+ I
%ne+"5 <ohn 3eats ma*e a similar statement: 4Poetr$ " " " shoul* stri%e the ;ea*er as a +or*ing of his
o+n highest thoughts, an* appear almost a ;emem(rance"5
Some figures of speech are, in effect, ri**ling +a$s of speech" !o call fishermen 4farmers of the
sea5/a metaphor/is to give a sort of veile* *escription of fishermen, (ringing out, +hen the term is
properl$ un*erstoo*, certain aspects of a fisherman#s activities" An* a ri**le, after all, is a veile*
*escription/though intentionall$ o(scure or *eceptive/calling attention to characteristics, especiall$
similarities, not usuall$ notice*" 8Riddle% li%e read% is from Ol* &nglish redan% 4to guess,5 4to interpret,5
an* thus its solution provi*es %no+le*ge"9 4!+o sisters upstairs, often loo%ing (ut never seeing each
other5 is 8after the ri**le is e7plaine*9 a +a$ of calling attention to the curious fact that the e$e, the
instrument of vision, never sees its mate"
SYLVIA PLATH
Syl'ia (lath (19)*196)) was born in Boston% the dau$hter o" +er#an i##i$rants ,hile still an
under$raduate at S#ith -olle$e% she published in Se'enteen and !ade#oiselle. but her years at colle$e%
li/e her later years% were #ar/ed by #anic0depressi'e periods A"ter $raduatin$ "ro# colle$e% she went to
&n$land to study at -a#brid$e 1ni'ersity% where she #et the &n$lish poet 2ed 3u$hes% who# she
#arried in 1956 2he #arria$e was unsuccess"ul% and they separated 4ne day she co##itted suicide by
turnin$ on the /itchen $as
Metaphors[1960]
I#m a ri**le in nine s$lla(les,
An elephant, a pon*erous house,
A melon strolling on t+o ten*rils"
O re* fruit, ivor$, fine tim(ers@
!his loaf#s (ig +ith its $east$ rising" D
Mone$#s ne+0minte* in this fat purse"
I#m a means, a stage, a co+ in calf"
I#ve eaten a (ag of green apples,
1oar*e* the train there#s no getting off"
' !OPI: FO; :;I!I:AL !HIE3IEF AE- 2;I!IEF
!he ri**ling spea%er sa$s that she is, among other things, 4a pon*erous house5 an* 4a co+ in calf"5
2hat is she6
SIMILE
In a simile, items from *ifferent classes are e7plicitl$ compare* ($ a connective such as li/e% as% or than
or ($ a ver( such as appears or see#s 8If the o(Cects compare* are from the same class/for e7ample,
4Ee+ or% is li%e :hicago5/no simile is present"9
Sometimes I feel li%e a motherless chil*"
/Anon$mous
It is a (eauteous evening, calm an* free"
!he hol$ time is )uiet as a Eun,
1reathless +ith a*oration"
/2or*s+orth
Ho+ sharper than a serpent#s tooth it is
!o have a than%less chil*"
/Sha%espeare
Seems he a *ove6 His feathers are (ut (orro+e*"
Shakes pe ar e
RICHAR !ILBUR
Richard ,ilbur% born in 5ew 6or/ -ity in 19*1% was educated at A#herst and 3ar'ard 3e ser'ed in the
ar#y durin$ ,orld ,ar 77 and in 1987 published 2he Beauti"ul -han$es% a boo/ o" poe#s that re"lected
so#e o" his e9perience in &urope 2his boo/ and subse:uent boo/s o" poetry established his literary
reputation% but probably his #ost widely /nown wor/s are the lyrics that he wrote "or ;eonard
Bernstein<s #usical 'ersion o" -andide (1956) 7n 19=7 the ;ibrary o" -on$ress na#ed hi# 1S (oet
;aureate
A Simile for Her Smile [1950]
our smiling, or the hope, the thought of it,
Ma%es in m$ min* such pause an* a(rupt ease
As +hen the high+a$ (ri*gegates fall,
1al%ing the hast$ traffic, +hich must sit
On each si*e masse* an* staring, +hile D
-eli(eratel$ the *ra+(ri*ge starts to rise:
!hen horns are hushe*, the oilsmo%e rarifies,
A(ove the i*ling motors one can tell
!he pac%et#s smooth approach, the slip,
Slip of the sil%en river past the si*es, 1G
!he ringing of clear (ells, the *ip
An* slo+ casca*ing of the pa**le +heel"
' !opic for :ritical !hin%ing an* 2riting
0!he title ma$ lea* $ou to thin% that the poet +ill compare the +oman#s smile to something" 1ut, in
fact, the comparison is not (et+een her smile an* the passing scene" 2hat is (eing compare* to the
traffic6
METAPHOR
A me"#phor asserts the i*entit$, +ithout a connective such as li/e or a ver( such as appears% of terms that
are literall$ incompati(le"
She is the rose, the glor$ of the *a$"
/Spenser
O +estern or( sailing the heaven"
/2hitman
Eotice ho+ in the secon* e7ample onl$ one of the terms 84or(59 is state*. the other 84ship59 is implie* in
4sailing"5
$OHN %EATS
>ohn ?eats (17951=*1)% son o" a ;ondon stable /eeper% was ta/en out o" school when he was 15 and
apprenticed to a sur$eon and apothecary 7n 1=16 he was licensed to practice as an apothecary0sur$eon%
but he al#ost i##ediately abandoned #edicine and decided to #a/e a career as a poet 3is pro$ress
was a#a@in$. he :uic/ly #o'ed "ro# routine 'erse to #ajor acco#plish#ents% publishin$ boo/s o" poe#s
Ato #i9ed re'iewsAin 1=17% 1=1=% and 1=*B% be"ore dyin$ o" tuberculosis at the a$e o" *5
On First Looking into Chapmans Homer* [1816]
Much have I travele* in the realms of gol*,
An* man$ goo*l$ states an* %ing*oms seen.
;oun* man$ +estern islan*s have I (een
2hich (ar*s in fealt$ to Apollo> hol*"
Oft of one +i*e e7panse have I (een tol* D
!hat *eep0(ro+e* Homer rule* as his *emesne.>
et *i* I never (reathe its pure serene>
!ill I hear* :hapman spea% out lou* an* (ol*:
!hen felt I li%e some +atcher of the s%ies
2hen a ne+ planet s+ims into his %en. 1G
Or li%e stout :orte, +hen +ith eagle e$es
He stare* at the Pacific/an* all his men
Loo%e* at each other +ith a +il* surmise/
Silent, upon a pea% in -arien"
' !OPI:S FO; :;I!I:AL !HIE3IEF AE- 2;I!IEF
1" 0In line 1, +hat *o $ou thin% 4realms of gol*5 stan*s for6 :hapman +as an &li,a(ethan. ho+
*oes this fact a** relevance to the metaphor in the first line6
A" 0-oes line H intro*uce a totall$ ne+ i*ea, or can $ou someho+ connect it to the opening
metaphor6
!+o t$pes of metaphor *eserve special mention" In me"o&'m', something is name* that replaces
something closel$ relate* to it. 4:it$ Hall,5 for e7ample, sometimes is use* to stan* for municipal
authorit$" In the follo+ing passage <ames Shirle$ names certain o(Cects 8scepter an* cro+n. sc$the an*
spa*e9, using them to replace social classes 8ro$alt$. agricultural la(or9 to +hich the$ are relate*:
Scepter an* cro+n must tum(le *o+n
An* in the *ust (e e)ual ma*e
2ith the poor croo%e* sc$the an* spa*e"
In s'&ec(oche, the +hole is replace* ($ the part, or the part ($ the +hole" For e7ample, bread in
4Five us this *a$ our *ail$ (rea*5 replaces the +hole class of e*i(les" Similarl$, an automo(ile can (e
4+heels,5 an* +or%ers are 4han*s"5 ;o(ert Frost +as fon* of calling himself 4a S$nec*ochist5 (ecause he
(elieve* that it is the nature of poetr$ to 4have intimations of something more than itself" It almost al+a$s
comes un*er the hea* of s$nec*oche, a part, a hem of the garment for the +hole garment"5
PERSONI)ICATION
!he attri(ution of human feelings or characteristics to a(stractions or to inanimate o(Cects is calle*
perso&ific#"io&.
1ut !ime *i* (ec%on to the flo+ers, an* the$
1$ noon most cunningl$ *i* steal a+a$"
/Her(ert
Her(ert attri(utes a human gesture to !ime an* shre+*ness to flo+ers" Of all figures, personification most
surel$ gives to air$ nothings a local ha(itation an* a name:
!here#s 2rath +ho has learnt ever$ tric% of guerrilla +arfare,
!he shamming *ea*, the night0rai*, the feinte* retreat"
/Au*en
Hope, thou (ol* taster of *elight"
/:rasha+
!he alarm cloc% me**ling in some(o*$#s sleep"
/1roo%s
" " "neon script leering from the shu**ering asphalt"
/-ove
In the ne7t poem, the spea%er, a**ressing a former mistress 84come let us %iss an* part59, seems to grant
that their love is over/is *$ing/an* he personifies this love, this passion, as a person on his *eath(e*
84Eo+ at last gasp of Love#s latest (reath59" Further, he surroun*s the *$ing Love +ith t+o mourners,
Faith, +ho is %neeling ($ Love#s (e*, an* Innocence, +ho is closing Love#s e$es" 1ut notice that the poem
ta%es a su**en t+ist at the en* +here, it seems, Love ma$ not have to *ie"
MICHAEL RAYTON
!ichael Crayton (156)16)1) was born in ,arwic/shire in &n$land a year be"ore Sha/espeare% and li/e
Sha/espeare he wrote sonnets A#on$ his other wor/s is a lon$ poe# on the $eo$raphy and local lore o"
&n$land
Since Theres o Help !"#"$%
Since there#s no help, come let us %iss an* part.
Ea$, I have *one, $ou get no more of me,
An* I am gla*, $ea gla* +ith all m$ heart
!hat thus so cleanl$ I m$self can free. =
Sha%e han*s for ever, cancel all our vo+s,
An* +hen +e meet at an$ time again,
1e it not seen in either of our (ro+s
!hat +e one Cot of former love retain" ?
Eo+ at the last gasp of Love#s latest (reath,
2hen, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,
2hen Faith is %neeling ($ his (e* of *eath,
An* Innocence is closing up his e$es, 1A
Eo+ if thou +oul*st, +hen all have given him over,
From *eath to life $ou mightst him $et recover"
' !OPI:S FO; :;I!I:AL !HIE3IEF AE- 2;I!IEF
1" 02hat *o $ou thin% is the tone of lines 1I?6 2hat +or*s especiall$ esta(lish this tone6 2hat *o
$ou thin% is the tone of lines HI1=6
A" 0Some rea*ers fin* the personifications in lines HI1J a sign that the spea%er is not *eepl$ move*,
an* perhaps is putting on an act" -o $ou agree or not6 Please e7plain"
APOSTROPHE
:rasha+#s personification, 4Hope, thou (ol* taster of *elight,5 )uote* a moment ago, is also an e7ample
of the figure of speech calle* #pos"rophe, an a**ress to a person or thing not literall$ listening"
2or*s+orth (egins a sonnet ($ apostrophi,ing <ohn Milton:
Milton, thou shoul*st (e living at this hour,
An* Shelle$ (egins an o*e ($ apostrophi,ing a s%$lar%:
Hail to thee, (lithe Spirit@
!he follo+ing poem is largel$ (uilt on apostrophe"
EMUN !ALLER
&d#und ,aller (16B616=7)% born into a country "a#ily o" wealth in Buc/in$ha#shire in &n$land%
attended &ton and -a#brid$e be"ore spendin$ #ost o" his li"e as a #e#ber o" parlia#ent ,hen the
(uritans ca#e to power% he was i#prisoned and e'entually banished to Drance% althou$h he was soon
allowed to return to &n$land ,hen the #onarchy was restored to the throne% he returned to parlia#ent
Song [1645]
Fo, lovel$ rose,
!ell her that +astes her time an* me,
!hat no+ she %no+s,
2hen I resem(le her to thee,
Ho+ s+eet an* fair she seems to (e" D
!ell her that#s $oung,
An* shuns to have her graces spie*,
!hat ha*st thou sprung
In *eserts +here no men a(i*e,
!hou must have uncommen*e* *ie*" 1G
Small is the +orth
Of (eaut$ from the light retire*:
1i* her come forth,
Suffer her self to (e *esire*,
An* not (lush so to (e a*mire*" 1D
!hen *ie, that she
!he common fate of all things rare
Ma$ rea* in thee,
Ho+ small a part of time the$ share,
!hat are so +on*rous s+eet an* fair" AG
2hat conclusions, then, can +e *ra+ a(out figur#"i*e l#&gu#ge? First, figurative language, +ith its
literall$ incompati(le terms, forces the rea*er to atten* to the co&&o"#"io&s 8suggestions, associations9
rather than to the (e&o"#"io&s 8*ictionar$ *efinitions9 of one of the terms"
Secon*, although figurative language is sai* to *iffer from or*inar$ *iscourse, it is foun* in or*inar$
*iscourse as +ell as in literature" 4It raine* cats an* *ogs,5 42ar is hell,5 4-on#t (e a pig,5 an* other
tire* figures are part of our *ail$ utterances" 1ut through repeate* use, these 8an* most of the figures +e
use9 have lost +hatever impact the$ once ha* an* are onl$ a sha*e remove* from e7pressions that, though
once figurative, have (ecome literal: the eye of a nee*le, a branch office, the "ace of a cloc%"
!hir*, goo* figurative language is usuall$ 819 concrete, 8A9 con*ense*, an* 8J9 interesting" !he
concreteness len*s precision an* vivi*ness. +hen 3eats +rites that he felt 4li%e some +atcher of the
s%ies K 2hen a ne+ planet s+ims into his %en,5 he more sharpl$ characteri,es his feelings than if he ha*
sai*, 4I felt e7cite*"5 His simile isolates for us a precise %in* of e7citement, an* the metaphoric 4s+ims5
vivi*l$ (rings up the oceanic aspect of the s%$" !he secon* of these three )ualities, con*ensation, can (e
seen ($ attempting to paraphrase some of the figures" A paraphrase or re+or*ing +ill commonl$ use more
+or*s than the original an* +ill have less impact/as the gra*ual coming of night usuall$ has less impact
on us than a su**en *ar%ening of the s%$, or as a prolonge* push has less impact than a su**en (lo+" !he
thir* )ualit$, interest, largel$ *epen*s on the previous t+o: the successful figure often ma%es us open our
e$es +i*er an* ta%e notice" 3eats#s 4*eep0(ro+e* Homer5 arouses our interest in Homer as 4thoughtful
Homer5 or 4me*itative Homer5 *oes not" Similarl$, +hen 2" 1" eats sa$s 8p" ?B79:
An age* man is (ut a paltr$ thing,
A tattere* coat upon a stic%, unless
Soul clap its han*s an* sing, an* lou*er sing
For ever$ tatter in its mortal *ress,
the metaphoric i*entification of an ol* man +ith a scarecro+ Colts us out of all our usual unthin%ing
attitu*es a(out ol* men as %in*, happ$ fol% content to have passe* from $outh to senior citi,enship"
Finall$, the point must (e ma*e that although figurative language is one of the poet#s chief tools, a
poem *oes not have to contain figures" !he anon$mous (alla* 4&*+ar*5 8p" H7A9 contains no figures, $et
surel$ it is a poem, an* no one +oul* sa$ that the a**ition of figures +oul* ma%e it a (etter poem"
Here is a poem ($ 2illiam :arlos 2illiams" -oes it contain an$ figures of speech6
!ILLIAM CARLOS !ILLIAMS
,illia# -arlos ,illia#s (1==)196)) was the son o" an &n$lish tra'elin$ sales#an and a Bas:ue0>ewish
wo#an 2he couple #et in (uerto Rico and settled in Ruther"ord% 5ew >ersey% where ,illia#s was born
3e spent his li"e there% practicin$ as a pediatrician and writin$ poe#s in the #o#ents between seein$
patients who were 'isitin$ his o""ice
The Red &heel'arro( [1923]
so much *epen*s
upon
a re* +heel
(arro+ =
gla,e* +ith rain
+ater
(esi*e the +hite
chic%ens" ?
!he follo+ing poems rel$ heavil$ on figures of speech"
Alfre*, Lor* !enn$son
Al"red% ;ord 2ennyson (1=B91=9*)% the son o" an &n$lish cler$y#an% was born in ;incolnshire% where he
be$an writin$ 'erse at a$e 5 &ducated at -a#brid$e% he had to lea'e without a de$ree when his "ather
died and Al"red had to accept responsibility "or brin$in$ up his brothers and sisters 7n "act% the "a#ily
had inherited a#ple "unds% but "or so#e years the #oney was tied up by liti$ation 7n 1=5B 2ennyson was
#ade poet laureate "ollowin$ ,ordsworth<s death ,ith his $o'ern#ent pension he #o'ed with his "a#ily
to the 7sle o" ,i$ht% where he li'ed in 'ast co#"ort until his death
The )agle !"*+"%
Fragment
He clasps the crag +ith croo%e* han*s.
:lose to the sun in lonel$ lan*s,
;inge* +ith the a,ure +orl*, he stan*s"
!he +rin%le* sea (eneath him cra+ls:
He +atches from his mountain +alls, D
An* li%e a thun*er(olt he falls"
' !OPI:S FO; :;I!I:AL !HIE3IEF AE- 2;I!IEF
1" 02hat figure is use* in line 16 In line =6 In line B6 :an it (e argue* that the figures give us a
sense of the eagle that is not to (e foun* in a literal *escription6
A" 0In line A +e get overstatement, or h$per(ole, for the eagle is not reall$ close to the sun" Suppose
instea* of 4:lose to the sun5 !enn$son ha* +ritten 42aiting on high56 -o $ou thin% the poem
+oul* (e improve* or +orsene*6
SEAMUS HEANEY
Sea#us 3eaney was born in Bel"ast% 5orthern 7reland% in 19)9 3e $rew up on a "ar#% and then went to
Eueens 1ni'ersity in Bel"ast FCi$$in$%G the "irst poe# in his "irst boo/% re'eals his concern with $ettin$
to the botto# o" thin$s 3eaney% who now li'es in Cublin% has lectured widely in 7reland% &n0$land% and
the 1nited States 7n addition to writin$ poetry% he has written essays about poetry 7n 1995 he was
awarded the 5obel (ri@e "or ;iterature
,igging [1966]
1et+een m$ finger an* m$ thum(
!he s)uat pen rests. snug as a gun"
'n*er m$ +in*o+, a clean rasping soun*
2hen the spa*e sin%s into gravell$ groun*:
M$ father, *igging, I loo% *o+n D
!ill his straining rump among the flo+er(e*s
1en*s lo+, comes up t+ent$ $ears a+a$
Stooping in rh$thm through potato *rills
2here he +as *igging"
!he coarse (oot nestle* on the lug, the shaft 1G
Against the insi*e %nee +as levere* firml$"
He roote* out tall tops, (urie* the (right e*ge *eep
!o scatter ne+ potatoes that +e pic%e*
Loving their cool har*ness in our han*s"
1$ Fo*, the ol* man coul* han*le a spa*e" 1D
<ust li%e his ol* man"
M$ gran*father cut more turf in a *a$
!han an$ other man on !oner#s (og"
Once I carrie* him mil% in a (ottle
:or%e* sloppil$ +ith paper" He straightene* up AG
!o *rin% it, then fell to right a+a$
Eic%ing an* slicing neatl$, heaving so*s
Over his shoul*er, going *o+n an* *o+n
For the goo* turf" -igging"
!he col* smell of potato moul*, the AD
s)uelch an* slap
Of sogg$ peat, the curt cuts of an e*ge
!hrough living roots a+a%en in m$ hea*"
1ut I#ve no spa*e to follo+ men li%e them"
1et+een m$ finger an* m$ thum(
!he s)uat pen rests" JG
I#ll *ig +ith it"
' !OPI:S FO; :;I!I:AL !HIE3IEF AE- 2;I!IEF
1" 0!he poem en*s +ith the spea%er sa$ing that he +ill 4*ig5 +ith his pen" Fiven all the prece*ing
lines, +hat +ill he *ig6
A" 0!he first lines compare the pen +ith a gun" 2hat implications are suggeste* ($ this comparison6
ANA +IOIA
Cana +ioia (pronounced F>46 uhG)% born in 195B% is chair o" the 5ational &ndow#ent "or the Arts 3e
is a poet and the co0author o" a te9tboo/ on literature% and he has also had a success"ul career as a
business#an
Mone- !"$$"%
!oney is a /ind o" poetry
/2allace Stevens
Mone$, the long green,
cash, stash, rhino, Cac%
or Cust plain *ough"
:hoc% it up, for% it over,
shell it out" 2atch it D
(urn holes through poc%ets"
!o (e ma*e of it@ !o have it
to (urn@ Freen(ac%s, *ou(le eagles,
mega(uc%s an* Finnie Maes"
It greases the palm, feathers a nest, 1G
hol*s hea*s a(ove +ater,
ma%es (oth en*s meet"
Mone$ (ree*s mone$"
Fathering interest, compoun*ing *ail$"
Al+a$s in circulation 1D
Mone$" ou *on#t %no+ +here it#s (een,
(ut $ou put it +here $our mouth is"
An* it tal%s"
' !OPI:S FO; :;I!I:AL !HIE3IEF AE- 2;I!IEF
1" 0Are an$ of the terms in the poem unfamiliar to $ou6 If so, chec% a *ictionar$, an* if $ou *on#t
fin* an e7planation in a *ictionar$, turn to other resources/the Internet, an* frien*s an*
classmates" -o some of the terms come from particular +orl*s of *iscourse/for instance, (an%ing,
gam(ling, or *rug0*ealing6
A" 0Suppose the last stan,a ha* (een place* first" 2oul* the poem (e (etter6 Or +orse6 2h$6
J" 02rite a some+hat compara(le poem on a topic of $our choice/for instance, stu*ents, teachers,
athletes, or +or%"
CRAI+ RAINE
1orn in &nglan* in 1H=D, ;aine gra*uate* from O7for*, +here after his gra*uation he +as appointe* a
lecturer" Since 1H?1 he has (een poetr$ e*itor for the &nglish pu(lisher, Fa(er an* Fa(er" He gives
fre)uent rea*ings of his poetr$ (oth in &nglan* an* in America"
Much of his poetr$, inclu*ing the poem +e reprint here, is *esigne* to help the rea*er to see the
+orl* from a fresh point of vie+"
A Martian Sends a .ostcard Home !"$/$%
:a7tons> are mechanical (ir*s +ith man$ +ings
an* some are treasure* for their mar%ings/
the$ cause the e$es to melt
or the (o*$ to shrie% +ithout pain"
I have never seen one fl$, (ut D
sometimes the$ perch on the han*"
Mist is +hen the s%$ is tire* of flight
an* rests its soft machine on groun*:
then the +orl* is *im an* (oo%ish
li%e engravings un*er tissue paper" 1G
;ain is +hen the earth is television"
It has the propert$ of ma%ing colours *ar%er"
Mo*el !> is a room +ith the loc% insi*e/
a %e$ is turne* to free the +orl*
for movement, so )uic% there is a film 1D
to +atch for an$thing misse*"
1ut time is tie* to the +rist
or %ept in a (o7, tic%ing +ith impatience"
In homes, a haunte* apparatus sleeps,
that snores +hen $ou pic% it up" AG
If the ghost cries, the$ carr$ it
to their lips an* soothe it to sleep
+ith soun*s" An* $et, the$ +a%e it up
*eli(eratel$, ($ tic%ling +ith a finger"
Onl$ the $oung are allo+e* to suffer AD
openl$" A*ults go to a punishment room
+ith +ater (ut nothing to eat"
!he$ loc% the *oor an* suffer the noises
alone" Eo one is e7empt
an* ever$one#s pain has a *ifferent smell" JG
At night, +hen all the colours *ie,
the$ hi*e in pairs
an* rea* a(out themselves/
in colour, +ith their e$eli*s shut"
!ILLIAM SHA%ESPEARE
ou +ill encounter Sha%espeare 81DB=I1B1B9 several times in this (oo%/for instance, as the author of
songs 8:hapter 1D9, sonnets 8:hapter AG9, t+o trage*ies 8:hapter JG9, an* a come*$ 8:hapter J19"
Here +e give one of his sonnets 8pro(a(l$ +ritten in the mi*01DHGs9, in +hich he pla$full$ reCects
similes an* other figures of speech" His contemporaries often compare* a +oman#s hair to fine0spun gol*,
her lips to coral or to cherries, her chee%s to roses, her +hite (reast to sno+. +hen such a +oman +al%e*,
she seeme* to +al% on air 8the grass *i* not (en* (eneath her9, an* +hen she spo%e, her voice +as music"
Sha%espeare himself uses such figures in some of his poems an* pla$s, (ut in this sonnet he praises his
(elove* ($ sa$ing she *oes not nee* such figures"
Sonnet "01
M$ mistress# e$es are nothing li%e the sun.
:oral is far more re* than her lips# re*.
If sno+ (e +hite, +h$ then her (reasts are *un.
If hairs (e +ires, (lac% +ires gro+ on her hea*" =
I have seen roses *amas%e*, re* an* +hite,
1ut no such roses see I in her chee%s.
An* in some perfumes is there more *elight
!han in the (reath that from m$ mistress ree%s" ?
I love to hear her spea%, $et +ell I %no+
!hat music hath a far more pleasing soun*.
I grant I never sa+ a go**ess go.>
M$ mistress, +hen she +al%s, trea*s on the groun*" 1A
An* $et, ($ heaven, I thin% m$ love as rare>
As an$ she (elie*> +ith false compare"
,, go +al%" ,- r#re e7ceptional" ,. #&' she /elie( an$ +oman misrepresente*"
;o(ert 1urns
0 a all. gang go.
:hapter 17 K Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Apostrophe
;ichar* 2il(ur
:hapter 17 K Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Apostrophe
<ohn 3eats
. Apollo go* of poetr$" 1 demesne *omain" 2 serene open space"
LFeorge :hapman 81DDHI1BJ=69, Sha%espeare#s contemporar$, is chiefl$ %no+n for his translations
8from the Free%9 of Homer#s 4dyssey an* 7liad In lines 11I1= 3eats mista%enl$ sa$s that :ortMs
+as the first &uropean to see the Pacific, from the heights of -arien, in Panama" In fact, 1al(oa +as
the first"
:hapter 17 K Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Apostrophe
&*mun* 2aller
:hapter 17 K Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Apostrophe
Alfre*, Lor* !enn$son
:hapter 17 K Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Apostrophe
-ana Fioia
:hapter 17 K Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Apostrophe
, C#3"o&s 2illiam :a7ton 8c" 1=AAI1=H19 +as the first &nglish printer of (oo%s" ,- Mo(el T a
For* automo(ile ma*e (et+een 1HG? an* 1HA?"
2illiam Sha%espeare